Chapter 360: The Eve of the Tournament

Misaka Mikoto looked at Li An and nodded slightly: "No need to thank me; I just couldn't stand them bullying people." A hint of tsundere remained on her face, yet her eyes revealed a trace of concern.

The sky over Academy City was pressed low by a heavy cloud layer, as if it would collapse at any moment. An abnormal tension permeated every street and alley; on the eve of the Ability User Tournament, the entire city resembled a volcano about to erupt—calm on the surface, yet with undercurrents surging beneath.

Li An walked along the streets of Academy City; his steps appeared light and relaxed, yet every single one was taken with utmost caution. He could feel that, in the shadows, countless pairs of eyes were fixed upon him. The senior leadership of the City's surveillance of him was like an invisible net, tightly shrouding him. He frowned slightly, a flicker of barely perceptible vigilance passing through his eyes; he raised his hand to adjust his collar—an action that seemed casual but was actually to confirm whether the miniature surveillance detector hidden at the collar remained functioning normally.

"Hmph, thinking to spy on me won't be that easy," Li An murmured low, the corner of his mouth curling into a slightly mocking arc.

During this period of preparing for the tournament, Li An's life became even more cautious. He spent a great deal of time each day on the training grounds, improving his abilities. However, recently he had discovered that there were always some suspicious figures loitering near the training grounds.

On this day, when Li An finished training and prepared to leave, a group of people suddenly surrounded him from all directions. At their head stood a tall man with a ferocious scar on his face; his eyes revealed a ruthless intensity.

"Kid, I heard you're entering the Ability User Tournament?" the scar-faced man said with a cold sneer, his voice hoarse like sandpaper rubbing together.

Li An stopped, looking calmly at the crowd before him, slowly slipping both hands into his pockets: "That's right. Is there a problem?"

"Of course there is a problem; we don't want to see you appear at the tournament." Another gaunt man stepped out from the crowd, greed flashing in his eyes. "If you know what's good for you, withdraw voluntarily, or else..."

Li An raised an eyebrow slightly, inwardly sneering coldly. These people were merely small henchmen bought by certain forces. His gaze gradually grew resolute; he glanced around, rapidly calculating a countermeasure in his mind. The atmosphere around them instantly grew tense; the air seemed frozen, and everyone held their breath, awaiting the coming storm.

"You think you can make me withdraw just by being you?" Li An's voice was not loud, yet it was filled with intimidation.

Just then, a clamor suddenly erupted from the distance. Kamijou Touma had heard some rumors about Li An and was furious; he firmly believed Li An was a bad person and that he must teach him a lesson. At that moment, he pushed through the crowd and strode up to Li An. "So you're Li An?" Kamijou Touma glared angrily, his fists clenched tight, his knuckles white from the force.

Li An looked at the suddenly appeared Kamijou Touma, feeling a wave of helplessness. He frowned slightly, attempting to explain: "You may have misunderstood; I..."

"Enough nonsense!" Kamijou Touma gave Li An no chance to speak; he suddenly threw a punch, the wind of his fist whistling as it drove straight at Li An's face. "Today I will teach you, you bad person, a proper lesson!"

Li An swiftly sidestepped, his body moving like a black shadow, agilely evading Kamijou Touma's attack. Seeing this, the onlookers all cried out in shock; the crowd quickly retreated, making space for the two.